Adapter for controlled closure of evacuated containers



1959 c. E. BENDER ET AL 3,463,342

ADAPTER FOR CONTROLLED CLOSURE OF EVACUATED CONTAINERS Filed Jan. 26,1967 I 'II/IIIII II n x lA/ VE/U' T035 CV/flPLE E. BEA/DEE 290061.175 6"F2465? 7?? 7L 0/? MTHOMPSOM United States Patent 3,463,342 ADAPTER FORCONTROLLED CLOSURE OF EVACUATED CONTAINERS Charles E. Bender, Douglas S.Fraser, and Taylor Thompson, New Paltz, N.Y., assignors to The VirusCompany, Inc., Gardiner, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 26,1967, Ser. No. 611,941

Int. Cl. B65d 47/20 US. Cl. 215-73 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Anadapter for automatic closure of freeze drying containers which permitsstoppering while the container is evacuated. The adapter includes a bodywhich receives a threaded sleeve. The body includes a shoulderengageable with the cap to limit axial movement. A sealing means isprovided at the lower end of the adapter to seal the container whilepermitting axial movement relative to the adapter. A split stopper isdisposed within the apertured container sleeve and, upon rotation of thecontainer relative to the sleeve, seats the rubber stopper in thecontainer without breaking the vacuum.

The instant invention may be briefly described as comprising an adapterfor automatic closure of freeze drying containers. The adapter comprisesa body which is provided with a central passageway therewithin open atboth ends thereof. Within the central passageway is a threaded sleeve orapertured container cap having threaded portion adapted to about thecomplementary threaded portion of a container. The threaded portion ofthe container is adapted to mesh with the threaded portion within thecavity upon turning of the container.

In the preferred modification of this invention there is a valveattaching portion carried by the :body member of reduced cross sectionwhich is adapted to be placed in operative relationship with a vacuumcontrol valve.

Also, in the preferred modification of this invention, a specialconstruction of the container utilized in connection with the adapter ofthis invention is optionally employed. The container is provided with abody portion and a neck portion of reduced cross section to that of thebody portion. On the neck is a laterally projecting threaded portionwhich is slightly less in diameter than the diameter of the base of thethreaded portion of the adapter but is meshable therewith upon turningmovement of the container. Within the container is a stopper havingpassage means therewithin which are inoperative when the stopper istightly fitted within the container. The length of the stopper isgreater than the distance between the base of the threaded portion andthe top of the threaded portion.

The above constitutes a brief description of the instant invention. Theobjects and advantages of the instant invention will now be set forth.

In freeze drying, particularly where vaccines or other materials are tobe lyophilized, it is preferable to conduct such lyophilization inseparate containers with the material to be lyophilized placed withinthe same container during the entire process. The container in which thelyophilized material is carried should then be automatically sealed andbe utilized as a container for the lyophilized material until it is tobe used.

Heretofore it has been impossible to produce such simple controlmechanism. For example, it has been conventionally proposed to place anumber of separate containers within a freeze drying chamber and thenemice ploy a type of automatic stoppering mechanism to close thecontainers involved. Such a procedure has been, of course, quiteimpractical where different materials have been placed in each one ofthe containers which require different lyophilizing times. Furthermoresuch stoppering mechanisms are expensive, require frequent servicing,and are impractical where small batches of material are to be made.

The instant invention, on the other hand, provides a simple andefiective control mechanism for automatic processing of material to befreeze dried. The material is simply placed within the container, thecontainer placed in juxtaposition with the control member, the controlmember placed in operative relationship with a source of vacuum andlyophilized, and subsequent to the completion of the lyophilizing stepis quickly and automatically sealed by a mere turn of the container. Ifa sterile atmosphere is desired the entire procedure can be employed,quite simply, under sterile conditions.

The above constitutes a brief description of the instant invention andsome of the objects and advantages thereof. Other objects and advantagesof this invention will become apparent to a reader of this specificationas this description proceeds.

The invention will now be further described by reference to theaccompanying drawings which are made a part of this specification. Inthis connection, however, the reader is cautioned to note that thespecific form of the instant invention as shown in the drawings hereinis for illustrative purposes and for purposes of example only. Variouschanges and modifications can obviously be made within the spirit andscope of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of the control member of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the invention shown in FIG. 1 taken alonglines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the container utilized in corn junction withthe control member of this invention. In this figure the open positionof the stopper is shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of the control member of thisinvention with a container in position therewith and the control memberplaced in operative relationship with a vacuum control valve prior tothe commencement of the vacuum step.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 but showing the position ofthe parts as the vacuum step commences.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 5 but showing the position ofthe parts immediately upon completion of the vacuum step and turning ofthe container to produce automatic sealing thereof.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 but showing the position ofthe parts when the vacuum valve is closed and the control member removedfrom operative relationship with the vacuum valve.

, FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the closed container and the controlmechanism.

FIG. 9 is a front view of the container utilized in connection with thisinvention showing an auxiliary cap placed over the stopper thereof forfurther protection until the material within the container is to beused.

This instant invention will now be further described by specificreference to the form thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings.

The adapter of the present invention is indicated generally at 11 andincludes a generally cylindrical body 12 having a passageway 13extending throughout its axial length. An O-ring 14 is carried at thelower end of the passageway 13, which end is of increased diameterrelative to the opposite end to form a stoppering section or area.Located within the enlarged section of the passage or stoppering sectionof the passageway 13 is an apertured container cap 15 which is providedwith internal threads of known type. The cap 15 includes a centralaperture which forms a radially extending flange 16 adapted forengagement with a shoulder formed at the intersection of the enlargedand smaller portions of the passageway 13.

The cylindrical body 12 includes a valve attaching portion 17 which maybe of cylindrical shape and sized so as to be joined to a vacuum system.If desired, the end of the passageway 13 extending through the valveattaching portion 17 may be enlarged as at 18.

As shown in FIG. 2, the radially extending shoulder formed by theintersection of the stoppering passageway, and the passageway 13 in thevalve attaching portion 17 forms a generally radially extending shoulderwhich is relieved at 18a for purposes to become apparent.

As shown in FIG. 3, a container 19 is provided with a container finish20 having a cap attaching means such as threads 21 of known type. Thethreads 21 are adapted for threaded engagement with the threads carriedin the stoppering cap 15, as will be described.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-7, the adapter 12 is illustrated in theposition assumed when joined to a vacuum valve 23 or the like. Thevacuum valve shown is adequately described in the copending applicationto Bender et al., Ser. No. 650,134, filed June 29, 1967 and entitledVacuum Valve, which application is assigned to the assignee of thepresent invention. The details are incorporated herein by reference,however, for greater ease of understanding the present invention, abrief description of the valve operation will be given.

As shown in FIG. 4, the valve 23 is provided with a cylindrical bore 24adapted for attachment to the port of a freeze dryer or similar conduitleading to a vacuum source. A passageway 27 is formed in the branch 22which receives the adapter 12. A stop cock or valve actuator 25 islocated in the opening 24 and has a stem portion which projects beyondthe intersection of the passageway 27 with the cylindrical bore 24. Thestem of the stop cock is of generally hollow construction and includes aradially extending passageway 26 which, when rotated into alignment withthe passageway 27, allows free communication between the passageway 24and passageway 27. The operation and use of this valve is adequatelydescribed in the copending application alluded to above.

The sequence of operation of the valve is shown in FIGS. 4-6. Thecontainer 19 is joined to the vacuum system through the vacuum valve 23and a sealing means 14, located at the lower end of the adapter 12,engages the outer circumference of the container 19 to form a fluidtightjoint. Accordingly, when the valve moves to the open condition as shownin FIG. 5, the system remains fluid-tight and vacuum is applied to drythe specimen which is indicated at 33.

The container 19 shown in FIG. 3 is closed to the atmosphere by means ofa stopper 28 having a flange 29 adapted to overlie the container finish.A plug portion 30 of the stopper is slotted as at 31 to permit freecommunication with the interior of the container 19 when the stopper 28is incompletely inserted.

In FIG. 4, the stopper 28 is located with the flange 29 well above thecontainer finish 20. Accordingly, when the valve stem is rotated to theposition shown in FIG. 5, the vacuum will be applied to the interior ofthe container 19. Vacuum is continuously applied until freeze drying iscompleted. If the stopper 28 is completely inserted before vacuum isapplied, the differential pressure between the container contents 33 andthe exterior of the stopper is generally sufficient to force the stopperpart way out of the container mouth to the condition shown schematicallyin FIG. 5.

When the contents of the container have been dried as shown in FIG. 6,the container 19 is rotated relative to the adapter 12 to advance thecontainer axially toward the shoulder. The flange 29 on the stopper 28engages the shoulder and, upon continuation of rotation of the container19, the stopper 28 is forced downward to seat the underside of theflange 29 on the container as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. In this condition,the container is tightly sealed to preserve the vacuum. It is to beappreciated that throughout the entire operation, the sealing means 14has maintained the vacuum intact. After sealing, the vacuum valve ismoved to the closed position shown in FIG. 7 and the container adapter12 may be removed as a unit or, if desired, the container 19 may beseparated from the adapter by unthreading through reversing thedirection of rotational motion used in installation.

The separated container 19 and adapter 12 are shown in FIG. 8. If thedried product 33 is to be stored for prolonged periods, the resilientstopper 28 may be covered by a separate cap 40 or sealed against airpermeation by known techniques.

It is to be appreciated that with the present invention, the individualvials or containers of serum, blood or other specimens may be readilyjoined to a vacuum system for freeze drying. By way of explanation, itis desirable to shell freeze the specimen and, thereafter, dry byexposure to a vacuum for a predetermined period. With the adapter of thepresent invention, the stopper 28 may be inserted during freezing andthe container contents be isolated until the vacuum is actually applied.The stopper may be re-inserted while the specimen remains under vacuumto guard against oxygen deterioration of the specimen or the entry ofundesirable bacteria into the container. The adapter is of a relativelysimple design and, thereafter, is readily manufactured.

We claim:

1. In combination, a container having a neck of reduced cross section, alaterally and outwardly projecting threaded portion on said neck, astopper within said neck provided with passage means therewithin, saidpassage means being inoperative when said stopper is tightly closed butoperative when said stopper is loosely fitted in said neck, an adapterhaving a body portion provided with a cavity open at both ends thereof,a threaded portion within said cavity having a shoulder at the bottomthereof, said threaded portion in said cavity being slightly larger indiameter than the diameter of the threaded portion on said neck butadapted to be meshed therewith upon turning of said container, thediameter of said stopper being less than the diameter of said threadedportion within said cavity, said shoulder being of smaller diameter thanthe diameter of said stopper to prevent axial movement thereof and thedistance between said shoulder and the end of the cavity threads remotefrom the cavity bottom being less than the length of travel of saidstopper during seating thereof in said neck.

2. A combination as described in claim 1 including an undercut portionadjacent said shoulder, permitting air flow through said adapter whensaid stopper is adjacent said shoulder.

3. An adapter for use in attaching containers to a vacuum source througha vacuum valve in a fluid-tight manner, said adapter including a bodyhaving a valve attaching portion for fluid-tight joining to said vacuumvalve, a passageway extending through said adapter and including astoppering passageway sized for reception of at least a portion of acontainer and a container stopper, a container stopper in saidpassageway, said stoppering passageway having sealing means at one endfor circumferential engagement with a circumferential portion of saidcontainer to seal said container to said adapter in a vacuum-tightmanner throughout stoppering movement thereof, and shoulder means havingmeans formed therein to permit flow around said container stopper whensaid container stopper is in engagement therewith but not sealed in saidcontainer, said shoulder means adapted to cooperate with said containerto effect full seating of said container stopper in said container onmovement of said container relative to said adapter thereby permittingremoval of said container from said adpater while preserving the vacuumin said container.

4. The adapter defined in claim 3 wherein said stoppering passagewayincludes thread means for cooperation with complementary thread meansformed on said container, said thread means acting to advance saidcontainer relative to said adapter on relative rotation of saidcontainer relative to said adapter, and effect seating of said stopper.

5. The adapter defined in claim 3 wherein said means formed in saidshoulder means to permit flow around said stopper includes a cutawayportion in said shoulder.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Low 215-73 Albiez 215-73 Carmean34-92 XR Hoffman et al. 215-73 XR Kapeker 141-363 Gottfried et a1 34-92Randazzo 215-73 XR US. Cl. X.R.

